Coupling device for air-brakes.



PATBNTBD 00T. 1, 1907.

No. 867,280.v

o. B. KOEHLBR.

CLAYTON B. KOEHLER, CF EAST LEBANON, PENNSYLVANIA.

COUPLING DEVICE FOR AIR-BRAKES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 1, 1907.

Application filed January 10,1907. Serial No. 351,719.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLAYTON B. KOEHLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at East Lebanon, in the county of Lebanon and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Coupling, of which the following is a specification. v

This invention relates to a coupling device for air brakes, and the object of the invention is to provide a valve controlled coupling of this kind which will automatically couple the train pipes carried by the cars running from the air cylinders. At present it is customary to connect up the air pipes of the various cars composing a train by means of sections of flexible hose carried by the car platforms, the couplings being made by one of the brakemen. i

In my invention the coupling is performed automatically at the same time that the cars are coupled and without requiring a brakeman to go between the cars in order to couple the air brakes.

In the accompanying drawings-Figure l is a side elevation showing two coacting coupling members coupled together; Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken longitudinally through the coupling members, the members being shown coupled; Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view showing one of the coupling members.

In practice the coupling members are suspended in any desired manner below the draw-bars and one member is arranged at each end of a car. The member carried by the adjacent car is identical in construction with themember carried by the car coupled to, the two similarly .Constructed members interlocking to form one complete connection between the air brake pipes of the two cars. In order to clearly distinguishl throughout the description the parts referred to, the two co-acting coupler members shown in the drawings will have their similar parts designated by like letters but with different exponents.

In the drawings A and A represent tubular sections which I have shown square in cross section, but which may be cylindrical in form, if desired, and these sections have at their inner ends a chamber A2, in which works loosely a tube B, the head of which is suitably packed and which is connected to the air pipe of the air brake cylinder, or any other desired part of the air brake apparatus as at B. It will, therefore, be obvious that the tubes or casings A and A would be permitted more or liess play by reason of the loose connection to the tube B. Each of the casings A or A are provided with enlarged funnel-shaped heads C and C. These heads do not open directly into the casings A or A but the latter are provided adjacent said heads with angled passages D and D. Within the heads are pivotally mounted one way valves E and E which I will term block valves. These valves are in the form Vofrpivotedgblocks which are provided at their outer ends with beveled edges E2 aii'cl-rl31--mw .in

Intermediate their ends the blocks are provided upon one side with a semi-cylindrical enlargement which has the pivot pin of the block for its center and through which passes radially air passages F and F. These air passages extend also diagonally through the body portion of the block and the side of the block opposite the semi-cylindrical enlargement is flat providing a smooth straight face, as shown at G in Fig. 3, and in these faces are set rings H of any suitable packing material which rings surround the opening through said faces of the air passages F and F respectively. Rods .I and J work through the heads C and C and are loosely connected at their inner ends to the blocks E and E and their outer portions are surrounded by coil springs K and K which bear at one end upon the heads and at their outer ends upon suitable caps or washers. Each head carries a forwardly projecting hook member L and L respectively and these hook members are provided with cams consisting of wedge-shaped blocks M and M and immediately in the rear of said blocks the hook members are cut out as shown at L2, through which cut out portions the rods J and J work and in which the forward ends of the blocks E and E swing. Each of the heads E and E are cut away upon one side of the casings A s and A as shown at N and in the rear of this cut out portion I pivot to the casings, blocks O and O upon which are pivotally mounted triggers O2 and O3, which are connected to the heads C and C, respectively, by springs I and P.

The operation of the parts above described are as follows: When the cars are uncoupled the springs K and K pull the outer ends of the blocks E and E respectively into the cut out portions of the hook members L and L and this rotates the cylindrical enlargement carried by the blocks and throws the air passages F and F out of alinement with the passages D and D and automatically closes said passages. When two cars come together the hook member L will enter the head C and passing through the cut out portion N will engage the trigger O3 while the hook member L will enter the head C, passing through the opening N and engage the trigger O2. The heads will, therefore, be locked in Contact with each other. During this movement the blocks M and M sliding past each other will engage the blocks E and E and will swing them upon their pivot points and as the heads come together the smooth straight faces of the blocks will slide upon each other bringing the air passages E and E into alinement with each other. The action of the wedge-shaped blocks M and M in swinging the valve blocks E and E into parallel relation with eachother also brings the passages F and F into alinement with the outer ends of the air passages D and D thus placing the air pipes of the two cars into full communication with each other. To uncouple the brakes it is only necessary to draw down the blocks O and O, thus permitting the hook members L and L to become disengaged from the triggers O3 and O2, respectively. As soon as the heads have separated, the springs K and K Will again swing the blocks E and E and close the passages D and Df.

Having thus fully described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- 1. A Coupling device of the kind described, comprising coupling members having oppositely disposed air passages, each ot said members being provided with a pivoted block, the said block having an air passage therein alining With the air passage of the coupling member when the blocks of the coacting members are brought parallel to each other, and spring actuated means tor throwing the air passage of the block out of alinement with the air passage ot' the coupling member upon withdrawal of the coacting coupler member'.

A coupling device of the kind described comprising coacting coupling members, each o1' said coupling members being provided with a head, said head having an air passage upon one side, said passage being at an angle to the body portion of the coupling member, a block pivoted in said head and forming a one-way valve, the said block having an air passage therethroughy a rod working loosely through the head and loosely connected at its inner end to the block carried by said head, a coil spring carried by the rod upon its outer portion, the expansion of said spring normally turning the block upon its pivotal point and closing the air passage of the head, a hook member carried by the head of each ot' the coupling members and adapted to enter and pass through the head of an opposing member, a wedge-shaped block carried by each or' said hook members, said blocks heilig adapted to engage the pivoted block carried by the head into which the hook member enters thereby bringingthe pivoted blocks of said heads into parallel relation with each other and bringing the air passages o1 said blocks into alinement with the air passages of the heads, the air pz ss'ages of the blocks alining upon Contact of the heads with each other.

3. A coupling device of the kind described, comprising casings connected to air brake pipes, coacting heads carried by said casings, pivoted blocks having air pas iges formed therethrough, said blocks closing the air pz of the casing when at an angle to the length of the easing, means for normally holding said blocks at an angle to the casing, means carried by each of the coupling members for forcing blocks of an opposing member into a position in alinement with the length of the easing. thereby bring ing the blocks of the coactngl members parallel to and in engagement with each other, and bringing the air passages ot' said blocks into alinemcnt with each other and with the air passages ol the casing-s.

i. A coupling member of the kind described comprising coacting heads, said heads having air pa. ges opening in the same upon one side, the said air pas, 1g ,s o1' the coa z ing heads being oppositely arranged, pivoted blocks carried by the heads and having air passages therethrough, the said blocks having smooth faces adapted lor sliding contact upon each other', the air passages oil the blocks alining with each other and with the air passages ol the heads when the faces of the blocks are in engagement, and means for swinging said blocks upon their pivotal points and closing the air passagesef the heads when the coupling members are separated.

CLAYTON B. KOIGIILNR.

Witnesses FRANK NAGLn, Jircon A. Kmclsmi. 

